Gant by Michael Bastian

The scene, imaginatively at least, at the latest Gant by Michael Bastian presentation was the Galapagos Islands. "It's so funny, because everyone's saying, 'When did you go to the Galapagos?'" Bastian said. "The answer is never. But sometimes your idea of a place is even better than the reality. I did see the documentary on BBC America, which I encourage everybody to watch."

Bastian dreamed up a pair of young backpackers making their way through the islands, dressed in a combination of their preppy best, their new island finds, and the technical gear necessary to weather the clime. That new technical gear, in the form of nylon windbreakers with Aertex linings, represented the newest category addition to the label. As for the rest, it was the better-than-basics it has been for several collections, with highlights including the camouflage cargo pants, knits (like a reversed Fair Isle), and Baja hoodies with South American motifs. Bastian has been designing the line for several seasons now—seven, precisely—he said as he surveyed the scene. It was meant to be one or two. That's a measure of the sweet spot he's hitting, as well as the good time he's having doing it. No wonder he chose a voyager theme. "Gant's like my vacation," he said. "There's never a very heavy emotional subtext to it; it's just cool clothes."